James Doh is one of the most sought after Storyboard Artists in the industry today. His imprint is on most of the top action movies in the last 15 years. In 2016 alone, he worked on “The Conjuring 2”, “Suicide Squad”, and “Star Trek Beyond”. He’s currently working on the upcoming blockbusters “Ghost in the Shell (2017”, “Aquaman (2018)”, and “The Predator (2018)”.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go tohttp://www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

– If you’re interested in storytelling, this is the interview for you. Editor Valerio Bonelli has edited over 30 films in the last 20 years, working with some of the top directors, including many collaborations with Ridley Scott (The Martian, Black Hawk Down, Hannibal, and the Oscar winner Gladiator), and Stephen Frears (Philomena, The Program). In this interview, he gives a lot of amazing insight on the art of editing a feature film and what it takes to succeed in Hollywood.

Transcript from Interview:

Every film I work on somehow added something to my knowledge as an editor and as a person. Each film is different even if you work with the same director, but I can say that there are few films that have stayed with me for one reason or another. Recently I’ve cut a documentary feature called “Palio”, this film was particularly challenging for me because unlike most conventional documentaries the story is narrated in the present time and not retrospectively with a narration voice but with the voices of all the characters of the film. The film is about the famous ancient horse race in Siena, Italy, it did not have a script, and was ‘written’ during the editing process by me and Cosima Spender.

Most recently I had the job of a lifetime doubling Kathy Bates as “The Butcher” on American Horror Story Season 6: Roanok. I doubled for her once before on Mike and Molly when she was a guest star. We had to leg wrestle with Melissa McCarthy and that was hilarious. Kathy is a class act. She is warm and funny and so appreciative. She has a great laugh. I can’t say enough good things about her.

It was definitely an education chatting with story artist Yoriaki Mochizuki. He chats about working storyboarding animation movies and how it can be a much more creative process than working on live action films, and so much more….

The LEGO Movie was one of the most creatively satisfying experiences. I collaborated closely with directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller as well as co-director Chris McKay. I was encouraged to come up with my own ideas and to create sequences, often even without a script. One of my favorite experiences on the LEGO Movie was when I storyboarded the live-action sequence. First I storyboarded it purely from my imagination. Once the set was built, I revised it with Phil and Chris. Then I worked side by side with editor Dave Burrows to create the animatic. Phil and Chris shot the sequence based on our animatic in the sound stage next door. It was one of the most harmonious filmmaking processes I have been privileged to be part of.

Read the best of NEW Interviews from filmmakers about filmmaking: https://matthewtoffolo.com/category/film-director/

At the beginning, I was really nervous. But throughout hearing the audience talking about my film, I had to smile. It really moved me to hear people discuss the film, their thoughts and feelings, and it was very touching.

I found it surreal at first. It’s pretty cool aeeing reactions from people so far away enjoying and responding so positively to our little Welsh short film. It’s heartwarming to see such feedback and highly rewarding to hear the laughs.

I got to be a fly on the wall. Seeing and hearing people talking about my film while I could not be there was not only a “voyeuristic” treat, but provided fantastic constructive feedback on my work. I do not know of a festival that provides this type of experience for their filmmakers.

I was very touched. I’m not sure how to properly express this, but what I appreciated above all else is the fact that it was understood – I mean really understood – more so than anything anyone had said about it before or since. I made this film because I wanted to explain how you often don’t realise when something life changing is happening. And that memory is fragmented and imperfect like a ‘bad flick book’. I thought that was a very good observation. The fact that people openly said they were moved by this film really meant a lot, I don’t have any affiliation with WWI (obviously), but I know what it’s like to feel loss as a child. The farewell which you never dreamt meant goodbye.

I never hide my feelings so I ll be blunt: I was very happy to see both how the people were moved and most importantly that they all got the main idea of the film, however, each one of them from his own point of view. Having many points of view means the film is multidimensional and this is the best reward for us. This was an overall very interesting experience.

Award winning Director, Animator and Illustrator and Storyboard Artist Robert Castillo discovered his passion for art and illustration at the tender age of five. Nicknamed “Sketch”, Castillo would draw his way through his difficult transition of returning to the US from the Dominican Republic, mastering English, and acclimating to the mostly white environment of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Storyboard Artist Cristiano Donzelli is a wealth of knowledge. You can feel his passion for what he does. No wonder all of the top filmmakers in the world who venture to Italy want to work with him. He simply makes all the films he storyboards better.

I had a blast sitting down with the very talented storyboard artist Stephen Forrest-Smith. Stephen has worked on some of the most popular films in the last 15 years, including “The Dark Knight,” the last three “Harry Potter” films, and last year’s “Star Wars” film.

It was an honor to sit down with the brilliant storyboard artist Kurt Van der Basch, who worked on Star Wars: Episode VII. Of course he’s not allowed to talk about it, which is fine because there are so many other questions to ask him.

Chatting with Costume Designer Malgosia Turzanska was inspirational, educational, and fun! She’s a true talent and someone who is obviously in love with her job. Maggi To learn more about Maglosia, go to her website: http://www.turzanska.com

What a terrific honour it was sit down with the talented costume designer Linda Muir, who is based in Toronto, Canada. She has worked in the industry for the last 30 years, on many successful films and TV shows, which she talks about in the interview. A must read for anyone working or wanting to work in the industry today:

It’s not as easy as it looks on tv. The hours are beyond gruelling and at first the money is non existent. But keep at it. Be nice to everyone, cuz you never know where your next job is coming from and who that Production Assisant will be later (maybe your next Production Manager) and only work for free for a little bit. Then bill what you’re worth and if you are good at it, the money will come. Make sure you like your scripts and it’s easier to live with them 24/7 for months on end. Take advice from people who are successful in the department you want to be in, and learn to take criticisms well and not personally.